Cami Smith
| Organizations, Out & About

This month’s Out & About spotlights Craft in America and the growing national momentum behind Handwork 2026, a project inviting communities across the country to come together through craft.

Bisa Butler; Hold Me Close My Starship. Courtesy of the artist and Jeffrey Deitch, New York and Los Angeles. Photo credit: Mark Woods.

For nearly two decades, Craft in America has documented the stories of artists, traditions, and cultural histories that shape the rich landscape of American craft. As the organization looks toward 2026, its work is expanding in an ambitious and deeply resonant way through Handwork 2026—a nationwide initiative that invites communities across the country to celebrate the handmade during the United States’ Semi- quincentennial year.

According to Ann Pifer—who recently stepped into her role as co-executive director of Craft in America alongside Robyn Hollingshead—the initiative grew naturally from the organization’s core belief that craft holds a unique power to capture history, culture, time, and place in physical form. The semi-quincentennial offered the perfect moment to bring that belief into a broad, collective spotlight. Heralded by Craft in America founder Carol Sauvion and Handwork 2026 planning committee member Harriett Green, Handwork 2026 was envisioned as a grassroots, year-long celebration whose strength would come from widespread participation. “It will reach into every state and nearly every community,” Pifer shared, “creating a lasting impact on national awareness of the handmade.”

Storytelling has always been at the heart of Craft in America’s work, particularly through its PBS series. Executive Producer and Director Patricia Bischetti described how the organization’s series that are part of Handwork 2026—EAST and WEST in 2025, and the forthcoming NORTH and SOUTH this year—explore how craft both reflects and reshapes identity across geography. EAST examines legacy and ancestry; WEST responds to the vastness of landscape and tradition. NORTH highlights acts of cultural renewal across dramatic environments, while SOUTH celebrates the region’s deep and diverse craft heritage. Together, these stories reveal how increasingly fluid boundaries between craft and fine art are shaping contemporary handmade practices.

Culture bearer and fiber artist Marques Hanalei Marzan.
Photo credit: Denise Kang

As Craft in America looks beyond 2026, its mission continues to deepen rather than shift. Bischetti emphasized that handmade objects remain a universal language—one that fosters understanding across cultures and perspectives. While ideas and identities evolve, the tactile presence of an object offers a shared point of connection. Craft, she notes, helps us see one another differently while reminding us of what we hold in common.

Marques Hanalei Marzan, lau hala cape form.

Handwork 2026 has already sparked new partnerships with museums, schools, historical societies, and artist collectives nationwide. This growing network opens possibilities for future collaboration while strengthening Craft in America’s educational impact. Pifer points to the organization’s Los Angeles–based Craft in America Center, where exhibitions and hands-on programs have brought arts education into schools and given emerging artists national visibility—an especially critical effort at a time when arts programs in schools face increasing budget cuts.

This expansive moment also coincides with Carol Sauvion’s retirement, marking both a culmination and a transition. Her vision not only created the series but helped elevate the entire field of craft, broadening how museums and audiences define culturally significant work. As Pifer reflected, “Handwork 2026 is a fitting capstone—one that honors the past while building a future rooted in making, meaning, and connection.”

In a fast-paced, digital world, Craft in America continues to remind us that working with our hands—thoughtfully, and with intention—is not just relevant, but essential.

Find more details about Craft in America and stream their recent episodes, EAST and WEST at craftinamerica.org. Learn more about Craft in America’s nationwide initiative at handwork2026.org.

See the artists featured in EAST here.
See the artists featured in WEST here.

Tapestry artist Helena Hernmarck at the loom. Photo credit: Denise Kang.

Helena Hernmarck, Geranium Courtesy of the artist. Photo credit: Norman McGrath.

Poakalani quilter Cissy Serrao teaches Hawaiian quilting. Photo credit: Denise Kang.

Poakalani quilter Doris Shibuya, Kamehameha I. Photo credit: Denise Kang.

Cami Smith is the Fiber Art Now media manager, community engagement coordinator, and a mixed-media artist.